Association between falls and cardiovascular diseases in the geriatric population

To determine the association of cardiovascular diseases with falls in the geriatric population.

Original, Transversal and analytical study. Elderly patients who attend the external consultation of the Geriatrics service, older than 65 years, with falls history, perform comprehensive geriatric assessment to indentify causes of falls in the period from March 2018 to June 2019. We perform measures of central tendency, chi-square test X² for qualitative variables, we performed linear regression model.

A total of 669 patients were included, the analysis shows association with frailty [OR 1.65 (95% CI 1.37-3.77), p <0.05], Heart Failure [OR 1.02, (95% CI, 0.68 - 1.54), p < 0.05 ], the logistic regression analysis with the variables (Fragility, SAH, es: DM2, AMI, Stroke, AF, postural hypotensive syncope, Hypothyroidism, Dyslipidemia, and HF) shows that the probability of falling is 57%.

Cardiovascular diseases have a high prevalence in the population studied and increase the risk of falls. Individually analyzed cardiovascular diseases do not show an association with the syndrome of falls in the elderly, except for frailty, which proved to be an independent factor that increases the risk of falls with an OR 1.65. When analyzing them together, the risk of falling increases up to 57%. It is necessary to correctly identify and treat cardiovascular diseases in the elderly.